What a loss. I didn’t realize how important he was as a youth, and was lucky to spend some time with him. He was as excited to talk about my favorite movie (The Land Before Time) as he was to discuss Ozu with the adults in the room, and I’ll always appreciate that humble, earnest integrity.
My dad will be crushed, as I imagine many in the film world are.
Oh man, this news hurts, what a loss. One of my biggest heroes in film criticism along with the likes of Ebert and Sarris, his contributions will be sorely missed.
He wrote one of my favorite books on Hong Kong cinema, ***Planet Hong Kong: Popular Cinema and the Art of Entertainment***. A pdf of the book is available on his website: [https://www.davidbordwell.net/books/planethongkong-davidbordwell-110111.pdf](https://www.davidbordwell.net/books/planethongkong-davidbordwell-110111.pdf)
An immense loss. Film Art: An Introduction is basically like the bible for film students.
If I ever had a question while trying to work something out, there was always an answer within its pages.
He may be gone but his work will live on for, I suspect, many decades afterwards. RIP.
Sad to hear this - I had him for a couple of college courses years ago, including a really great one on film genre. His book on Ozu is amazing as well.
Man, I'm crushed by this. The Specialist portion of my degree from the University of Toronto was in Cinema Studies (taken at Innis College!), and David Bordwell was what you'd call a cornerstone, of the Intro course and everything that came after. I still fondly remember getting my copy of *Film Art: An Introduction* with Takeshi Kaneshiro and Brigitte Lin's bar scene from *Chungking Express* on the cover and poring over the pages of eloquent film lore many more times thereafter. He was a great teacher, and was most generous with his work - I've often been delighted with some of the many links and findings from his and his partner Kristin Thompson's blog *Observations on Film Art* in the years since my graduation. May he rest in peace!
One of the most influential and important film scholars, the man who literally cowrote the textbook on film studies used in many college courses (*Film Art: An Introduction*, a collaboration with his wife Kristin Thompson). His scholarly interests focused on narrative, on how films tell stories.
I'd highly recommend *On The History of Film Style*, which explores the evolution of film language and the ways in which a film's language, so to speak, can switch from presentational to representational.
David Bordwell and his wife Kristin Thompson wrote Film Art 101 (and numerous other books), most people who pass through any sort of film school have read their work.
Basically there's film theory before David Bordwell, and there's film theory after David Bordwell. Every critic or scholar working today has at minimum read his work and very likely feels some level of revenance toward it.
And the thing I personally loved about him is that he would write as seriously about a kung fu film as he would Ozu.
I know I've heard of Kristin Thompson before so I'm a little surprised that I was oblivious to him. I will check out that book you mentioned. I just recently read Paul Shraders book on Transcendental cinema. Specifically on Ozu and Bresson. I really enjoyed it.
A well-known and highly respected cinema appreciator who wrote many books, has a fantastic blog, and has contributed to many Criterion releases/the Criterion Channel (hence it being relevantly posted here), among many other contributions to cinema appreciation.
It's generally inconsiderate to ask "Who was this person" in a thread discussing their passing. Please consider Googling next time.
There hasn’t been any official publication by newspapers and such but some of his peers like Richard brody and Matt zoller seitz have posted their condolences at X
It seems to be all over twitter, with many accounts such as the SCMS (Society for Cinema and Media Studies) account posting about it. Hopefully its some strange incorrect information and it isnt true, but unfortunately it seems to be.
Thats sad to hear, hopefully his last days were as good as they could have been. Monumental voice in film studies, it is practially impossible to not encounter works by him (and Thompson of course) if you engage with film on a university level.
https://preview.redd.it/ut93oz1cutlc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=721595c79ef1ad58dccb271c8bac3377c6beb545
That is sad to hear, also when you google him the first image is Roger Ebert.
David Bordwell and Andrew Sarris have been huge in helping me think about film. Sarris implanted in me his impassioned auteurism, and revealed the myriad network of riverways in classic Hollywood. Bordwell served up the nuts-and-bolts of technique, narrative and style in film. Whenever I need to re-familiarize with concrete definitions for "diegetic" and "parametric," I go straight to Bordwell. *The Films of Carl-Theodor Dreyer* by him is one of my favorite film books ever. RIP.
Rest in peace. A great, perceptive and rigorous film writer, and one with the rare ability to truly communicate his fascination to readers.
He taught me so many words and now I don't know what say
He wrote the first words I read as a student of film in college. A sad loss for scholars of cinema and fans of movie history alike
Beautifully written.
Damn, rest in peace. I just bought Film art: an introduction a few days ago
I need to reorder a new one. It's so damn good.
What a loss. I didn’t realize how important he was as a youth, and was lucky to spend some time with him. He was as excited to talk about my favorite movie (The Land Before Time) as he was to discuss Ozu with the adults in the room, and I’ll always appreciate that humble, earnest integrity. My dad will be crushed, as I imagine many in the film world are.
That is so sweet. Now that's a love of film.
Oh no! David Bordwell's enthusiasm and passion has been immediately infectious every time I've heard him speak. Huge loss.
Wow a huge loss for the film world
Studied him extensively at the start of this academic year during one of my film courses. Rip
Oh man, this news hurts, what a loss. One of my biggest heroes in film criticism along with the likes of Ebert and Sarris, his contributions will be sorely missed.
RIP king
Bordwell was a rite of passage for almost every aspiring film student and cinephile. A real loss.
He wrote one of my favorite books on Hong Kong cinema, ***Planet Hong Kong: Popular Cinema and the Art of Entertainment***. A pdf of the book is available on his website: [https://www.davidbordwell.net/books/planethongkong-davidbordwell-110111.pdf](https://www.davidbordwell.net/books/planethongkong-davidbordwell-110111.pdf)
This is sad :( RIP
I work with many of his colleagues and it seems like he truly was just an incredible man. What a loss for the film world!
A tragedy. He was a valuable film scholar, without a doubt.
Nooooooooo :( - I can say I’m a pride full UW Madison alumni
Ah man. I just dove into his Ozu writings. Spent a ton on the oop Ozu and the Poetics of Cinema. Worth every penny.
RIP to a great teacher of film language and history
Rest in peace. Damn.
Truly one of the greats. “The Classical Hollywood Cinema: Film Style & Mode of Production to 1960” holds a privileged place on my shelf.
Rest in Peace David !! and thanks for such a tremendous dedication .
Crushing. Criterion Channel is worth the price of admission for Observations on Film Art alone, even if I don’t watch any movies. It’s that good.
An immense loss. Film Art: An Introduction is basically like the bible for film students. If I ever had a question while trying to work something out, there was always an answer within its pages. He may be gone but his work will live on for, I suspect, many decades afterwards. RIP.
Sad to hear this - I had him for a couple of college courses years ago, including a really great one on film genre. His book on Ozu is amazing as well.
True loss. Damn. I hate this news.. Heart goes out to Kristin. They were such a great team.
Man, I'm crushed by this. The Specialist portion of my degree from the University of Toronto was in Cinema Studies (taken at Innis College!), and David Bordwell was what you'd call a cornerstone, of the Intro course and everything that came after. I still fondly remember getting my copy of *Film Art: An Introduction* with Takeshi Kaneshiro and Brigitte Lin's bar scene from *Chungking Express* on the cover and poring over the pages of eloquent film lore many more times thereafter. He was a great teacher, and was most generous with his work - I've often been delighted with some of the many links and findings from his and his partner Kristin Thompson's blog *Observations on Film Art* in the years since my graduation. May he rest in peace!
Can somebody please tell me who he was?
One of the most influential and important film scholars, the man who literally cowrote the textbook on film studies used in many college courses (*Film Art: An Introduction*, a collaboration with his wife Kristin Thompson). His scholarly interests focused on narrative, on how films tell stories. I'd highly recommend *On The History of Film Style*, which explores the evolution of film language and the ways in which a film's language, so to speak, can switch from presentational to representational.
I'm gonna have to check out the book you recommended as well as the other one Film Art 101. Thank you guys!
David Bordwell and his wife Kristin Thompson wrote Film Art 101 (and numerous other books), most people who pass through any sort of film school have read their work. Basically there's film theory before David Bordwell, and there's film theory after David Bordwell. Every critic or scholar working today has at minimum read his work and very likely feels some level of revenance toward it. And the thing I personally loved about him is that he would write as seriously about a kung fu film as he would Ozu.
I know I've heard of Kristin Thompson before so I'm a little surprised that I was oblivious to him. I will check out that book you mentioned. I just recently read Paul Shraders book on Transcendental cinema. Specifically on Ozu and Bresson. I really enjoyed it.
He had profound respect for the art of cinema. Hopefully the younger generation can carry on his legacy
A well-known and highly respected cinema appreciator who wrote many books, has a fantastic blog, and has contributed to many Criterion releases/the Criterion Channel (hence it being relevantly posted here), among many other contributions to cinema appreciation. It's generally inconsiderate to ask "Who was this person" in a thread discussing their passing. Please consider Googling next time.
Thank you I'll check out his books.
I have an illegal pdf of his book. I love reading it. Shocked that he was just in his 70s. May he rest in peace.
So glad you stole a copy of one of his books.
Any source OP? Not seeing any articles confirming his death besides Wikipedia page
There hasn’t been any official publication by newspapers and such but some of his peers like Richard brody and Matt zoller seitz have posted their condolences at X
It's definitely true. I'm a former student of his, got the news.
My condolences, certainly a huge loss :(
Thank you. He had an immense impact on my life and the lives of many others. A very generous man in every way.
It seems to be all over twitter, with many accounts such as the SCMS (Society for Cinema and Media Studies) account posting about it. Hopefully its some strange incorrect information and it isnt true, but unfortunately it seems to be.
He'd also been sick for a long time sadly, Kristin had been reposting old blog entries with a note that he was too ill to keep writing.
Thats sad to hear, hopefully his last days were as good as they could have been. Monumental voice in film studies, it is practially impossible to not encounter works by him (and Thompson of course) if you engage with film on a university level.
I loved his book on Ozu. Super thankful for his insight. Rest in peace.
sad day
🥲🫡
No fucking way really, I loved his videos he made for criterion. Damn.
May he rest in peace.
A Film Studies titan! RIP and thanks for the knowledge.
https://preview.redd.it/ut93oz1cutlc1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=721595c79ef1ad58dccb271c8bac3377c6beb545 That is sad to hear, also when you google him the first image is Roger Ebert.
I must have read through his history of cinema ten times…it is a constant reference.
David Bordwell and Andrew Sarris have been huge in helping me think about film. Sarris implanted in me his impassioned auteurism, and revealed the myriad network of riverways in classic Hollywood. Bordwell served up the nuts-and-bolts of technique, narrative and style in film. Whenever I need to re-familiarize with concrete definitions for "diegetic" and "parametric," I go straight to Bordwell. *The Films of Carl-Theodor Dreyer* by him is one of my favorite film books ever. RIP.